Parker Bestobell to supply cryogenic valves for LNG carriers

AUGUST 15, 2016—Parker Bestobell Marine reports it has won a new order from Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DMSE) to supply cryogenic valves for three new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers.

The company’s valves will be used in the cargo handling systems, including the main discharge line that controls the initial flow of LNG from the cargo tanks when pumping starts. The three vessels are part of the Yamal series of Arc7 ice-class LNG carriers that will be operated in Arctic winter conditions.

Previously, Parker Bestobell Marine had supplied the first vessel in the series—the only one owned by Russia’s Sovcomflot—with its cryogenic globe and check valves.

The “on-deck” valves will be subjected to extreme sub-zero temperatures, which is not an issue with Parker’s cryogenic valves that are designed to operate down to -196°C. For added protection, Parker Bestobell Marine will supply covers for the headworks to protect the exposed parts of the valves.

Due to the arctic conditions that the LNG Carriers will operate in, it is not possible to use actuators that operate via hydraulic oil due to viscosity issues. As a result, Parker Bestobell Marine innovated within its valve design to ensure that the valves could operate efficiently using electric actuators.

These will be the first LNG carriers to have electric actuators fitted to globe valves. Parker Bestobell’s Marine’s Market Development Manager, Duncan Gaskin said: “This project called upon the innovation of our design and technical engineers to come up with a solution to ensure that the actuators would operate normally in such extreme environments.”

There are 15 ships set to be built in this series by DSME for three different owners: MOL (Japan), Teekay (Canada) and Dynagas (Greece). The ships are designed specifically for the LNG Yamal project in Russian Siberia. The 15 Arc7 ice-class gas carriers will operate in Arctic conditions, with temperatures as low as -54°C. They will be required to independently navigate ice more than two meters thick.

Russian gas producer Novatek holds an 80% stake in the Yamal LNG project, with the remaining 20% stake owned by Totally. After 2018, the Yamal LNG project is expected to produce 16.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year for shipment to European, Asian and South American customers.